Sabres purposely went heavy on college prospects during draft

The Sabres went heavy on college-eligible players by design, using five of their 11 picks on them.

“With so many picks and our contract situation, you don’t want to waste those picks because their contracts all come up at the same time,” amateur scouting director Kevin Devine explained Sunday on the Prudential Center floor after the Sabres finished picking. “We wouldn’t be able to sign three or four of them. So that was a plan. We looked at the college route and Europeans for the new CBA, which now gives us four years for those guys over there.”

J.T. Compher, left wing, United States Under-18 Team, second round, 35th overall

Compher, who’s listed as a left wing, calls himself “a very competitive two-way center.” The captain had 15 goals and 42 points in 49 games last season.

“I try to be pretty much everything, power play, penalty kill, be used on faceoffs,” he said.

The Sabres traded defenseman Andrej Sekera to Carolina for the Compher pick and defenseman Jamie McBain.

Hurley won the Minnesota state championship before returning to the junior United States Hockey League’s Muskegon Lumberjacks, where he played 11 games sandwiched between his high school season.

“I think I’m a playmaking forward,” said Hurley, the first high school player selected in the draft. “I see the ice really well. I think I’m a natural center, and I think I use my speed up through the neutral zone really well, just make plays.”

“I’m a two-way player who can create offense above the goal line, and can play both ends of the ice,” Baptiste said. “I’m going to go to camp and try and make the team. I’m not going to settle for anything short of the best of my ability.”

Loud cheering was heard throughout an almost-empty Prudential Center when Florentino, 6-foot-1 and 227 pounds, was selected.

Florentino, who said he possesses a mean streak on the ice, said his brothers and sisters brought a contingent of supporters.

“Those guys in the crowd, I’m the punching bag of that group,” he joked.

What kind of game does he play?

“I try to be a two-way guy, two-way defender,” he said. “It’s really depending how the game’s going. If I need to be a shutdown guy, I can do that. If the forward’s not doing it, I can help them out, be a fourth forward with them.”

Florentino has committed to Providence.

Eric Locke, center, Saginaw Gears, OHL, seventh round, 189th overall

Locke had a huge season, scoring 44 goals (tied for fourth in the OHL) and 97 points (third) in 68 games.